Wound management with vacuum assisted closure in surgical site infection after ankle surgery

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of vacuum assisted closure (VAC) with standard moist wound care (SMWC) in surgical site infection after ankle surgery.

Methods: A prospective cohort was performed among patients with surgical site infection after ankle surgery between 2012 and 2013. The follow-up period was three month, and the efficacy end point was complete wound closure rate.

Results: Ninety-four patients were analyzed, with 61 patients in the VAC group and 33 in the SMWC group. The complete wound closure rate in the VAC group was higher than that in the SMWC group at 3 month follow up (90.2% Vs. 72.7%, p = 0.028). The median time to complete wound closure was 31 days (95% CI 20.2-41.8) for VAC, and 63 days (95% CI 46.9-79.1) for SMWC (χ(2) = 4.023, p = 0.045). In the superficial infection subgroup, the median times to complete wound closure were 20 days (95% CI 14.2-35.1) in the VAC group and 42 days (95% CI 35.4-69.4) in SMWC group (χ(2) = 4.331, p = 0.041). In the deep subgroup, the median times to complete wound closure were 46 days (95% CI 28.2-65.9) in the VAC group and 75 days (95% CI 43.2-79.6) in SMWC group (χ(2) = 6.475, p = 0.026).

Conclusion: Our result showed that vacuum assisted closure was more effective than standard moist wound care in surgical site infection after ankle surgery.